Math that don't look like Math

[Maaz Hasan]

What do you guys think of tricks that are completely mathematical, but appear to use no math whatsoever? Also, do you guys like using math in a card trick (specifically, are you guys ok with doing mental math in a card trick)? I'm only asking because there is a card effect I've been experimenting with that uses some "heavy" mental math (as far as modern card magic is concerned), but the effect in itself ends up looking like a complete coincidence, no math at all.

 

[RealityOne]

I've played with Poker Player's Picnic so that the spectator picks the number of cards that are shifted to the bottom and the number of card dealt to each pile. The last stack was my choice based on addition, division and determining a remainder. I found out it is a lot more difficult to do multi-phase math (remembering each number, adding them, dividing them, remebering the quotient and then determining the remainder) under performance pressure than you would think. That being said, there are some Steinmeyer effects that require some math but it works because it is done immediately at one point in the effect.

 

[Maaz Hasan]

I've played with Poker Player's Picnic so that the spectator picks the number of cards that are shifted to the bottom and the number of card dealt to each pile. The last stack was my choice based on addition, division and determining a remainder. I found out it is a lot more difficult to do multi-phase math (remembering each number, adding them, dividing them, remembering the quotient and then determining the remainder) under performance pressure than you would think. That being said, there are some Steinmeyer effects that require some math but it works because it is done immediately at one point in the effect.

Hmmm, what about creating a natural off moment to do the math? Because the thing I'm playing around with involve 2 - 3 equations, one of which took me forever to actually understand.

 

[RealityOne]

As long as it doesn't involve using a pen and paper! It is hard to judge how difficult it is without knowing what you would have to do.